What stands out about the Porsche Taycan RWD?
On the outside, the slip-on of the Taycan series does not look any different from the more expensive versions. In other words: as a bad motherfucker with futuristic features. Yet you can see from the roofline, the rear window pillars and the butt work that the 911 has served as a source of inspiration. The biggest difference with the slightly larger Porsche Panamera is at the front. With its small headlights, the electric Porsche looks a lot meaner than its petrol brother.
In the fantastic mamba green the Taycan is attracting a lot of attention and we get almost purely positive comments. Also striking: with the standard battery, the new rear-wheel drive Taycan is the second cheapest Porsche. You only pay a little less for the cheapest 718 Cayman. The cheapest Porsche 911, on the other hand, is no less than 60,000 euros more expensive!
What’s good about the Porsche Taycan RWD?
With the optional Performance Battery Plus, the Taycan does not have 408, but 476 hp. It is almost 5 meters long, two meters wide and the test car stands on 21-inch wheels. It provides an impressive overall picture. That does not diminish when you first get behind the wheel and let your gaze slide over the fully digitized dashboard.
But as soon as you drive away with him, the Taycan reassures you. Just put the joystick to the right of the steering wheel in D and the electric supersport sedan starts moving in a controlled manner. Without intimidating roars or nervous reactions to the power pedal. Moreover, the green monster turns out to be much smoother and more manageable than expected. The turning circle is not too bad, the direct, precise steering gives a lot of confidence and the Taycan has never heard of tilting. Nevertheless, the (optional) air suspension offers a pleasant comfort.
Before you know it, you’ll be addicted to the fabulous handling and careless performance. The hundred sprint of 5.4 seconds (with launch control) is not the dominant drug. The kick of the intermediate accelerations, on the other hand, makes all brightly colored pills superfluous. Fortunately without a morning after hangover in the form of a strongly shriveled driving range.
Okay, we did not achieve the specified 484 kilometers in our action radius test, but even if you launch yourself with plank power, a range of 300 kilometers can be achieved. Thanks to a charging capacity of 270 kW, you can bring the battery pack back from 5 to 80 percent of its capacity on the right fast charger in just over 22 minutes.
What could be better about the Porsche Taycan RWD?
We were delighted to see that the Taycan will soon be joined by the Taycan Cross Turismo. Because despite its length of almost 5 meters, the test car does not overwhelm us in the back with its interior space. Porsche promises that rear passengers in the Cross Turismo will enjoy more headroom. The manufacturer does not mention the space for feet and knees …
There is a small button on the steering wheel that allows you to convert the car’s braking energy into charging current. But the Taycan only weakly slows down and you cannot adjust the braking effect. One pedal driving with the Taycan is therefore not possible. We think it is a missed opportunity, because a solid regeneration mode is particularly effective in stop & go traffic. What the Taycan does have is the extra economical Range mode. Here the car kneels a few centimeters, the maximum speed is limited, not all power is available and the climate control only works for the driver. Because the car in Range responds much slower to the power pedal, we find this driving mode in busy Dutch traffic with varying speeds not pleasant to use.
We liked the Sport Plus mode all the more and we were looking forward to the Elelectric Sport Sound. But after a quick acquaintance, we quickly switched it off again. The engine sound was somewhere between tram line 9, which had gotten out of bed the wrong way, and a spaceship from an eighties film. That’s nice for three minutes, but then you’re done with it.
When will the Porsche Taycan RWD arrive and what is the price?
The rear-wheel drive Porsche Taycan can be ordered immediately. If you can give up 87,200 euros, the dealer will deliver you the basic version with 408 hp and a WLTP range of 407 kilometers. If you order the Performance Battery Plus for 6,044 euros, you not only get 68 hp extra, but also 81 kilometers more driving range. We say do! The same goes for the mamba green paint (1171 euros) and the optional air suspension (2281 euros). If only because of the lift possibilities in our heavily overrun country. When ordering a test car, some more options have been ticked. Including 21-inch light alloy, a heated sports steering wheel, heated sports seats, smart LED headlights, a panoramic roof, a three-year maintenance contract and many more bells and whistles, it makes you € 133,724 lighter. Oops.
What do I think of the Porsche Taycan RWD?
Hats off to Porsche. Even as a rear-wheel drive entry-level vehicle, the electric Taycan has retained the Porsche magic, in addition, the road holding is still fabulous. Only that sound… Even if I don’t turn on the Elelectric Sport Sound, it doesn’t make me happy. No, nothing beats fossil in that respect. Apart from that, the Taycan gives me a double smile, also in this semi-basic version. It may not be the dream Porsche, but it is the dream electric car.